Father's Day Special

Father’s Day in Deed

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

The young father sat in pew attending to the needs of each of his children. While daughter lay across open arms, his son jostled onto daddy’s knee. Matching suit coat and tie were impeccable as was his overall stature and poise. Campaigning could have been his calling. White house, Senate, CEO of any big company would have been the better to see the likes of him at the helm. Know why? Let me tell you why this young man would have been a good catch for a company and the only kind worthy of hire.

Because tending to the children was his charge for the moment and never once shirking from the important task before him makes for an excellent candidate for many a position worldwide. Keeping his clothing wrinkle free was lower on the to do list as the children climbed helter-skelter, round and about, to and fro while he kept dutiful watch. Not for a minute did the two in his care let go of daddy throughout the sermon, songs, or prayers…and daddy didn’t let go of them.

Want a top notch employee? Bring a daddy to an interview and invite his children along. If indeed he chooses to pay more attention to the needs of his children than the questions being asked, then in all due respect, you have yourself a winner. You have yourself a man who puts others before himself and if he is willing to sacrifice himself on behalf of his children, he will do so on behalf of you when the road gets rough.

It’s simple. What you have is a man who prioritizes. He prioritizes the needs of others over his own. He can follow through. He can give. He can sacrifice self in order that others may more fully live. Best guess says the man in the pew was alleviating the stress of mom for the moment as she was elsewhere in the building. Simple assumption says you have a young man able to give and not count the cost.

Seems like there was another young man who did the same at one point in History. There was a promise I recall that He would never leave us nor forsake us and if indeed our earthy father would ever choose to do so, He would filled the gap…for you…for me…and has done just that.

For it says in Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Don’t fear or tremble before them, because the Lord your God will be the one who keeps walking with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 goes on to reinforce, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Hebrews13:5 also states, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” 

And to all the daddies in the world who have felt abandoned and are trying desperately to fill the needs of the little ones around you…please know that in truth He has never nor will He ever leave you nor will He forsake you.  Amen.